


Ghost of a Chance

by livtontea



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Dialogue, Episode: s01e09 Changes, Ficlet, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-28 03:36:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21130118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/livtontea/pseuds/livtontea
Summary: 62 seconds (1:02 minutes) of s01e09, Changes. 6:08-7:10.Klaus tries to get high again. And Ben-Ben-





	Ghost of a Chance

**Author's Note:**

> remember when i was rewriting scenes of the show or pages of the comics like this? yeah i still am lmao
> 
> an au i thought of late at night that legit made me sob! i might expand on it later and turn it into a full fic, but for now :eyes:

"What are you doing?" It's a bit of a pointless question, but. Ben asks anyway.

"Looking for drugs." Klaus doesn't even stop his rummaging to look at Ben. Ben sighs.

"Don't do it."

"I'm done listening to you!" says Klaus, grabbing a slightly dirty stuffed unicorn and straightening out to look at Ben. "Just go away. Go away, please." He waves his hand, gesturing at the door.

"I like the sober you," says Ben. The fabric of the poor plushie's back rips open.

"Yeah, well, sobriety's overrated."

"Look where it's gotten you though!"

"Well, _where_ has it gotten me? Where has it gotten me? Nowhere! I can't talk to the person I love, people... _still_ don't take me seriously! I want to be numb again," Klaus says. His hands are shaking the smallest bit.

Klaus turns back to the fucking unicorn, and Ben nods in disappointment and dismay. "You're a colossal wimp."

"Oh yeah, really?"

"Yeah, really!" Klaus is holding the baggie of pills, the thin plastic nearly ripping under the sharp pricks of his fingernails. His breathing is heavy, eyes focused on the drugs inside. Ben snaps his fingers at his brother, fruitlessly bartering for his attention. "Hey!"

"Life isn't supposed to be easy," he says. Klaus pours a handfull of pills out. "Life is _hard_," Ben says, like he's explaining it to a toddler. "Bad things happen, good people die." It all comes rushing out in one fast string of syllables.

"Wow," stretches Klaus, "Playing the dead card again? You need new material, bro." He counts out the pills piled on his tattooed palm.

Ben rolls his eyes, refraining from another sigh. "I was talking about Dave." It suddenly sound much more serious and accusing that any of his words had before.

Klaus carries on ignoring Ben.

"You know what, I'm tired of seeing you wallow in self-defeat."

"Well then avert your gaze!" Klaus says, like the asshole he is.

"You're better than that," insists Ben. "And Dave?" Ben's voice grows softer. "He knew it too."

Klaus is staring at Ben, breathing heavy. Ben's breathing is nothing at all, because he doesn't have to breathe. Klaus sighs in defeat and looks down at the little white tablets in his hand.

"Yeah, you're right."

Ben waits.

"You're right! I'm- I'm- I'm sorry," he says shakily. "I'm sorry."

Ben moves his hands as if to say, "Thank God." He turns away.

Klaus' voice is shockingly loud against the previous quiet. "Psych!"

He shoves the pills into his mouth and cackles and Ben's vision is red with anger, because of course, of course! Why did he even _think_-

He winds back his arm just like he was taught to do and with a grunt, lets it fly at Klaus' stupid fucking _lying_ mouth-

His fist goes through.

**Author's Note:**

> [@seven-misfits](http://seven-misfits.tumblr.com)  
drop a line!


End file.
